The Death Chronicles
by Scrat
Summary: Buffy/Bleach crossover. Series of one-shots about the adventures in death Spike and Xander have.
1. The Last Battle

**Disclaimer: **Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Characters are not mine to play with, but Joss Whedon's and Mutant Enemy Productions. Bleach, to my great sadness, also does not belong to me, but to Tite Kubo (and anyone else that might have a claim).

**Author's Note:** This is a slight crossover, mainly only at the end. It was written originally as a drabble that I have revisited and revamped a little, but it's not perfect. It is now the opening one-shot of a series of one-shots. I'm pretty sure this has been done a time or two before, but please enjoy!

As an added note, this is also posted at Twisting the Hellmouth.

**

**The Last Battle**

Xander swore, half carrying Willow as he ran. Buffy was off in another part of town fighting demons and the rest of the slayers stationed to this town were randomly scattered across town trying to protect the citizens. This was supposed to have simply been a happy reunion for three of the original scoobies. They weren't too worried when they heard there was supposed to be a prophecy going down and instead made jokes about it being like the old times.

So they split up, Xander with Willow to stop the baddie who was using magic and Buffy off with the girls protecting the innocent. Only, the bad guy noticed them and did something, and suddenly more baddies were pouring through portals. Willow did her thing though and off they ran, but not before getting badly hit.

So there they were, running for their lives. Willow was depending wholly on Xander and he was desperately looking for Buffy or one of the other slayers. He wasn't stupid, with the horde he had following him there was no way he'd live if he tried to fight alone with an injured Willow and old (but sharp) axe. But as it was they had been running for nearly five minutes and he was no closer to finding Buffy but Willow was a hell of a lot closer to collapsing.

With a faint frown he figured they had no choice, instead of looking for friends he started to look for a defensible corner where Buffy still should be able to find them. And somewhere that was close.

It didn't take long, thankfully, before he found a corner. It was a little more out of the way than he would prefer but the walls were high enough and deep enough no monsters should be able to jump over or through them. He had a few moments lead on the monsters, mostly vampires and a couple demons he couldn't name, but he knew it wouldn't last long. So using the time he had he set Willow up in the back corner and tried to deal with her wounds the best he could.

He was sweaty from the run, his clothes stuck to him uncomfortably, and he was panting for want of air. His arms, legs, and back was scattered with scratches the demons had caused as they ran, him barely out of reach. Willow looked like the child she once was laying limply against the wall, eyes closed in what he could pretend was peace and mouth open slightly to breath. Her left side from her shoulder down was a burnt mess, her leg barely there at all. The damage was extensive but this was the town of the best healer Xander knew of. Kneeling in front of her Xander made a promise.

"You _will_ survive," he whispered, before standing slowly and picking up his axe. Turning he looked towards the entrance of the small alleyway, "I promise you that you will still be safe when Buffy gets here."

He stood there silently, his peace made and resolve formed, waiting for the demons to turn the corner. A long minute passed and Xander let himself a tiny amount of hope that help would arrive in time, that maybe they had lost the demons back there somewhere. But then it was to late to think of anything as the first vampire turned the corner and howled as it hurled itself at him. A lifetime of fighting these monsters allowed Xander to keep his cool and swiftly bring the axe up to meet a much faster and stronger opponent. And then everything moved too fast for thinking, just reacting, and sometimes not even that was enough. He was weakest on his right side due to the loss of his eye but having lived without it for years now, he knew how to cover for it.

Unfortunately with so many opponents sometimes there was nothing he could do to block them. One vampire was lucky enough to stay in his blind spot long enough to grab his neck and that was it. Xander knew it was the end of the line for him even as the vampire started to squeeze but he never stopped fighting. Even as the rest of the monsters backed off, recognizing the kill had already been taken, Xander's free left arm, his right now trapped along the vampire's body, went towards the eyes. Every living creature dependent upon them would react instinctually and flinch back and that might be enough-

"Aye mates!"

And then the arm was gone and his blind side covered. Xander glanced at Spike briefly before turning back to the battle, "The Calvary arrived?" Despite trying to hide it the exhaustion and relief showed clearly in his voice.

Spike didn't bother to glance back, "Sorry mate, just me." His voice was too steady, too calm, "Buffy should be on her way but I went on ahead when they got blocked by a Veslique Demon. Nasty buggers those are."

And Xander knew, from those few words, that Spike didn't believe she would arrive on time.

**

In all honesty, it hadn't taken Buffy very long to get through the Ves-whatever demon for all that she hadn't been an active slayer in over ten years - but she took an extra second dodging when she should have attacked. Xander had already been fighting for over half an hour and Spike had been fighting his own fights along with his dash to get to Xander and Willow's side.

The mere number of vampires and demons overwhelmed them when Buffy had been only minutes away.

After all these years Buffy knew the likelihood of something terrible happening was very high, but still she tried to keep her hopes up. After all, hadn't they beaten those very high odds time after time? Despite this, what was waiting for her when she arrived was like nothing she could have imagined.

The floor was scattered with piles of vampire dust and demons. The walls were cracked and streaked with blue blood, the same blue blood pooling underneath all the dead demons. And in the back, there was a single dead Xander with Spike's trademark coat lying over a pile of dust next to him. Behind them was Willow, propped against the wall – her harsh breathing standing out to Buffy's ears despite the grunts of the few demons hurt, but still alive.

Demons that seemed confused on how to act. For still standing in front of Willow were two see-through bodies. Feeling removed from the scene, as if it was a movie set up and not the death of two friends, Buffy found herself wondering how she missed the ghosts.

But impossible to miss, standing in front of Willow were Xander and Spike. A Xander who was nearly twenty years younger than she remembered, bringing back fond memories of the beginning of her slayer adventures, and a Spike that was… just Spike, as unchanged as ever. If it hadn't been for the army of slayers at her back, Buffy didn't think she'd have remembered to move. But as it was there were still demons inching forward, starting to realize ghosts couldn't hurt them.

So it was with a scream of anger and pain that Buffy lead fourteen slayers onto three hurt demons.

**

Xander had died first. So when his eyes opened and he was still in the middle of a battle he had no clue as to what was happening. Immediately he stood back up but as he reached for the axe laying behind him he got his first inkling all was not as it should be.

Then he watched Spike's death – and watched Spike stand right back up from a pile of dust.

So they were left standing facing the last three surviving demons, knowing if the demons pushed forward there was nothing they could do but still needing to do _something_. The demons finally seemed to notice there was nothing blocking their way to the troublesome witch, when a war cry called out.

It was an all too brief goodbye before Buffy picked up Willow and took off, everyone present knowing time was of the essence to save her life. But it wasn't until after Xander watched Buffy and her small army of Slayers round the corner that he took a deep breath and came to turns with what happened, "I'm dead. It's finally happened."

Spike nodded and walked over to look at Xander, "Not looking bad either mate. Got your eye back I notice."

Xander's hand immediately went to his right eye in surprise, he hadn't really noticed the double vision until Spike pointed it out. "Yeah..."

"What, didn't like the trade?" Spike asked, smirk forming, "I've made worse ones."

Xander smiled a little, "I guess, but I think I would have preferred my life really."

"Quite a fight."

Both Xander and Spike spun around startled, falling into fighting stances out of habit.

"Good! Good!" The tall man boomed. He wore a tight fitting eye patch over his right eye and his black hair was spiked and belled. "You two seem like worthy souls. Makes me glad I took an assignment for once. Look, once you reach Soul Society do me a favor and try to apply to the academy, tell them the 11th division wants you."

With his piece said, he hit both of them on the forehead with the end of his sword, smile still firmly in space. And then Xander blacked out.

**End**


	2. The Afterlife

**Author's Note:** Here the crossover shows it's face a bit more. This is more of a bridge than anything else. The first couple chapters (if you'll ever get to see them) are more connected then the rest will be. Once everyone gets where I want them to be it'll become more the one-shots I originally planned for. Sorry if characters don't seem in character, I'm trying to work on that. I know nothing real interesting has happen yet but it will. Some day. Maybe in 2012 with the rate I'm updating, but then the world will end and you'll never get a chance to know what I have planned. ;P I'll try to update a little faster than that.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the favorites and to let you know I'm perfectly fine with you also leaving a review, even if it's nothing more than "I liked it."

**

**The Afterlife**

Xander looked around vaguely interested. He was dead and for some reason the afterlife seemed to be modeled after Ancient Japan.

Walking around he couldn't help but notice how out of place he was. He was wearing the same clothes he had on at his death, a nicely worn pair of jeans and loose t-shirt, but everyone else was wearing some form of robes.

"Why didn't I get a nifty set of robes when I died?" Xander muttered, trying to distract himself as he walked. There was a disturbing lack of non-humans around and he couldn't help but worry about whether or not Spike made it into the afterlife with him and if he would still be the Spike he knew. There was the whole issue of vampire-ness, a package which so thoughtfully included a human and demon soul. Of course, most records would state the human soul is destroyed or sent on once the demon invades, but Spike got his back… but he still had the demon. So would he now be pure human? What would that be like?

On cue, an image of Spike dressed in tweed sipping from a tea cup with his pinky finger sticking out came to mind. _Judging from him now, he'd probably have a hoard of girls hanging off him,_ Xander thought sarcastically.

His stomach rumbled. "Ugh, not a good idea to think of food." Xander said, ignoring the fact he had no one to talk to. A quick glance around provided no solution to his dilemma. Despite the mass of buildings, they all appeared to be more of homes than shops.

Finding himself a corner out of the general walking path, Xander dropped to the ground. Holding his stomach, his moan matched the next grumble. It would appear his stomach reverted to his teenage hunger to match the body. Looking around pitifully, a tactic he remembered working so well when he was last this age, he mumbled, "I'm hungry."

**

Spike was on a mission. For all that he had been in some state of living for so many years, there was only one person he wholeheartedly wanted to see again and knew wanted to see him.

So when he had been dropped down in whatever this afterlife place was with full vampire senses and abilities, he went on the hunt.

It only took a couple days to find her.

As it was, he had almost missed her. She was wearing similar clothes to everyone else in this place and talking with another lady, but that wasn't the problem. She was young and energetic, looking nothing like the tired and stressed single mother he remembered.

He was almost afraid to approach her.

"Joyce!" But he would never let mere fear stop him, especially when his voice and feet seemed to have found a mind of their own. Besides, there was a tiny nugget of hope that kept telling him that if he could Joyce, then maybe he could find his own mother.

Joyce looked up at her name, glancing around trying to find who called for her – eyes passing right over Spike without stopping. The lack of recognition almost made him stop.

But again he was moving before he really thought about it. "Joyce, excuse me but would you mind if we had a private word?"

Joyce looked uncertain but nodded. "Why don't we go inside," Gesturing to a house behind her Spike hadn't even noticed. "I'll make us some tea."

"Yeah," Spike said, voice soft, "That sounds nice."

He had done it. He had found her. But as Spike followed her inside he wondered if it was really worth it and if it was to late to turn around and run. There was no yell of excitement, no hug, no soft smile – just a familiar face with empty eyes.

Joyce was busying herself with a kettle and the stove while Spike found himself resting awkwardly against the wall.

"Uh," Spike started, but found himself at a loss of words.

"Yes? Is something the matter?" Joyce asked as polite and motherly as ever, but real emotion was lacking. She had no special care for him.

Spike shifted, for the first time in nearly twenty years feeling uncomfortable. "How, err… How have things been here for you?"

"Fine. Just fine." She hadn't bothered to look at him, getting mugs out and moving things around. "It was hard at the beginning, you know, adjusting. But things have settled down nicely and it's not so bad, really, once you get used to it." The kettle whistled and she poured water into the waiting mugs. "You must be new. I have to admit, I don't think anyone's ever called out to me like that before."

"I am. New, I mean." Spike cursed himself silently. What was wrong with him? Acting all pouf-like. So Joyce didn't exactly remember him, maybe he could jog her memory. "Uh, anyway. I just wanted to know if you wanted to hear about your daughters?"

Joyce's movements stopped for a second, but then she dropped a teabag into her cup, "Would you like hot chocolate instead?" Already she was reaching for a packet of powder to add to his mug.

A small bit of hope settled in Spike's heart, maybe she had remembered? "Would love that dear." When she didn't seem inclined to speak again he tried again, "What 'bout hearing how Buf-"

Joyce slammed her hands onto the counter, "Sir! Please, stop." In Spike's shocked silence Joyce turned and handed him his hot chocolate. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she had been holding back tears. "No one remembers their life from before and I have no idea who you are. Now, I was patient and willing to help you adjust but you must stop this nonsense. Whoever I was before – I can't be her now and I'm not going to try anymore. I spent years looking, searching- No. I'm done."

Standing still, Spike wasn't sure what to do. This was obviously Joyce but... she wasn't. Her habits were still the same, the kindness, but he had been wrong to say there was no stress. She looked pained and he was startled to realize he had just opened an old wound of hers. "You don't remember?" His voice was faint, hardly able to speak. "I should go. I didn't know, I… I'm so sorry. I won't bother you anymore."

In all his years alive, he wondered if he had ever made a retreat so fast. It wasn't till he was outside and out of view from her house that he realized he had never told her his name and that he was still holding her mug filled with hot chocolate.

Staring down at it, he debated just tossing it. It seemed wrong to drink it now.

In the end, he set it on the corner of the wall. Walking away from it, for the first time since he appeared he wondered where Xander might be and if he remembered anything either. Trying to distract himself from thoughts of his own mother, he started to hunt once more.


	3. Xander Is In

**Author's Note:** Not exactly 2012 like I was threatening, but close. I'm trying to finish this, it'll probably be pretty short after this, with a couple more chapters showing their Zanpakutos and forms. I stopped caring about Bleach a long time ago unfortunately, so their won't be the character involvement for the series I was originally planning.

**Xander Is In**

It was different. The most obvious change was the attitude. Here, people walked around with purpose, eyes clear and feet quick. They actually looked like people.

Xander was of the firm opinion that everyone outside the giant walls were lost ghosts. Everyone wore a smile and moved around, but it was randomly and with no end in sight. They were just going through the motions. It was nice to know somewhere in the afterlife people were still alive.

It didn't seem fair. People worked hard their entire life, led on by dreams of eternal happiness only to actually get here and become zombies-

"And this is the academy." The guide was speaking, some guy in a black robe and a sword hanging off his belt. He seemed bored, ready to get on and ditch the group but held back by duty. Xander sympathized, being the doorman some days just sucked. "First you will receive general training and be ranked."

By this point, Xander didn't care to listen anymore. The man kept talking but he had a very monotone voice and Xander couldn't resist a yawn. Three days ago the man had picked Xander up saying something about hunger equaling power and dropped him off in a warehouse which already had a couple people milling around within. No one had seemed willing to chat and food had been laid out in a buffet style ready to eat. He hadn't really seen the problem with shutting up and eating. His long life had taught him some patience, plus, the food had been really good.

"And if you'll come this way we can get you situated into rooms and start training." The man had perked up sometime during his talk, probably happy to get rid of them, and walked off with the group following.

Figuring it was always good to know where his room was, Xander followed. Maybe they'd let him take a nap immediately. It had been a very boring past couple of days and nothing seemed to drain energy faster than doing nothing.

Walking beside another recruit, one who actually looked alert and seemed to be paying attention, Xander utilized skills he hadn't had a chance to stretch since high school. "Hey, so, do you know what exactly is going on here?"

The recruit looked over with an eyebrow raised, "You've just been recruited for shinigami training and you don't realize it? You'll probably wash out in a week."

Xander narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, shinigami? Didn't that mean death or something in Japanese. Death spirit, if he remembered his research days right. Japanese predictions weren't exactly his forte.

But that man, the one he'd seen right after he died with Spike, he had worn clothes extremely similar as that of the guides. Said something about an academy as well. "Is this the Soul Society?"

At his question, the other recruit just rolled his eyes and snorted, "Man, you must be new. Jeeze. How'd you get picked up if you haven't even been here long enough to learn that? What'd you do, run down and beg the first person you saw to take you in? Got lucky?"

Xander wanted to scowl and show this man exactly what he was made of, but it had been well over thirty years since he last felt the need to prove himself. Instead, he laughed and shrugged, "Pretty lucky I figure. All I know is there I was, sitting all sad and hungry and next thing I know I'm told to wait in a room filled with food. Seems silly to ignore the man, especially since no one else seems to have food here."

"Most dead have no need to eat, any who do tend to end up here." The recruit seemed to be loosing his patience though, fidgeting and looking towards the guide as they walked.

Figuring he might has well introduce himself and let the conversation end, Xander was about to offer his hand when the guide started speaking again. "And here we are! Just chose a bed and wait here till someone comes to get you to begin training. I'll be seeing you later."

Turning back to get that introduction done, Xander wasn't too surprised to find the man already gone.

* * *

Spike frowned. Sniffing again as he looked up at the big walls. So the brat somehow found his way within, did he? Probably part of a group, seeing as the same stinks kept with his scent the entire way.

Snorting Spike looked around again, trust Xander to have found the only tour guide in the entire place. Now, all he had to do was figure out how to get in.


	4. The Academy

**Author's Note**: I don't know how the academy actually works, I'm going off the vague plan I set up three years ago. If Bleach has since explained more about the academy… well, hopefully most of you guys are Buffy fans and therefore don't care too much about that. These were written quickly and without editing and rewriting. So sorry about the lower quality.

**The Academy**

**Newest Recruit**

It hadn't taken long to get in and find Xander, especially after Spike made the decision to avoid the main door.

"The intruder was traced to here, but we can't find the specific intruder due to all the new recruits."

Of course, he had been noticed coming in. Currently, Spike was sitting on the bed next to Xander's, facing Xander with his back to the door. He couldn't see who was talking and didn't want to show his face, just in case they had seen it when he snuck in.

Xander glanced over Spike's shoulder to where the intruders were and made a face. Spike figured it was because his plan of simply turning his back actually worked.

Trying to fit in, Spike started up a conversation. "So mate, how exactly did you get in here?"

Xander shrugged, "Oh you know, looked pitiful. Complained about being hungry." He looked around, eyed whoever was behind Spike's shoulder again, and continued, "I know we only got in yesterday, but I wish we'd do something already. Meh, what about you? How'd you get transported from the boring world outside to the boring world here?"

Spike grinned, oh he was good. He was about to reply when the man by the door sighed.

"We'll keep an eye out I suppose. We might have just followed one of the new recruits without realizing it."

Spike's grin widened, not bothering to listen to the partners response. "Well mate, looks like I'm the newest recruit."

**Exams**

It took Xander until just before end of the year exams to realize not everyone remembered their life before death. Not that memories really entered conversation much, but it seemed like something important to know. Really, he only found out because Spike finally bothered to tell him about Joyce.

And wasn't that heartbreaking? All that time, assuming she'd been somewhere better, when in reality she couldn't even remember her own life. It made him wonder about Buffy's Heaven memories, what had really been happening. Or if the soul split or something had gone wrong…

He didn't have long to ponder though, end of the year exams were around the corner. It wasn't quite right to say exams, seeing as it was more or less just one.

"Ready to get dropped off?" Spike asked, "Can't believe you get to go before me. I can't wait to go out there and kick some ass. I'm getting so bored of the classrooms."

Xander laughed, only Spike would be excited to be left alone to survive against a Hollow. No one expected a trainee to kill one yet, just survive for an undetermined about of time until they're picked up again. "You'll probably get dropped off while I'm struggling to live, so you shouldn't have to wait long."

Six hours later…

Xander twirled his sword, wondering what the Shikai form will be. Maybe he'd get a totally kickass sword. He could remember, from when he was about 30, a mystic sword uncovered in China which healed the holder. That would be nifty. Or maybe a crossbow, he already knew he was good with the weapon. He hadn't really ever heard of a projectile form before, it would be nice to be so unique.

Sighing, Xander leaned back against the building again. It was cool to be in the real world again, but he wasn't fluent in German and as he was a ghost… there wasn't much to do.

"Xander? Where is the Hollow?"

Xander turned to look at Rikichi, a member of the sixth squad. He was the one that had dropped him off and wished him "best of luck".

"Well, after you dropped me off directly in front of the Hollow," he gave Rikichi a glare, "and it started chasing me, I figured I might as well try my best. Then I killed it." Xander ignored Rikichi's look of disbelief, fighting the Hollow had brought back memories of fighting demons. Of being the weaker fighter and winning anyway. So he had run, dodged, and attacked.

"Err, right." Rikichi blinked, "Well, guess that means you get full marks."

**Meditation**

"The best way to learn the name of your Zanpakuto is meditation," Yumichika murmured, eyes closed, sword across his legs. "Find peace, enjoy the silence, and listen for their voice."

Spike rolled his eyes, then for good measure, poked his sword. If he had a sword it better not be any stupid wimpy 'peaceful and quiet' types. It'd be loud and annoying and snap at him.

"What if it refused to tell its name?" Shirika asked. She had been fairly quiet through the past two years. He'd seen Xander talking to her before, crouching over her smaller form and talking her through problems. Reminded him of the baby slayers.

Yumichika scowled, "It's true that sometimes you have a vain, stupid, self-righteous sword which refuses to acknowledge you," he sniffed and his hand tightened around his handle, "that just means you have to do a better job coaxing it out. It takes time."

Xander snorted, entire body shifting and Spike idly wondered if he'd finally woken up. If not, maybe Spike could help him along. Meditation was supposed to last another half hour and there was no reason he should have to survive the torture alone.


End file.
